What Can You Do for Your Skin When You Are Fighting Rheumatoid Arthritis?

If you are reading this article, the chances are that you have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis. Are you worried about your future and you are interested to find out how you can take care of your life from now on? Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes many problems to your body and does not affect only your joints.

Your doctor may have shared some advice on how to take care of the symptoms, but has he or she talked about taking care of your skin? Since our skin is the largest organ, it is essential for us to preserve it in its healthiest condition. But do you know how you can do that while fighting the symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis?

What is Rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are among the most common chronic, inflammatory diseases in the world. Nearly 1.5 million people in the U.S right now are diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis. But do you know what this term stands for? Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the inside of the joints – the synovia, causing inflammation and pain around the joint. If you are wondering what is causing this disease, the answer is simple – this is an autoimmune disease, which means that our immune system, for some reason starts working against our body tissues causing the inflammation.

Did you know that apart from your joints, Rheumatoid arthritis affects other organs as well? Can you guess which parts of your body are affected by this disease?

Joint pain

Morning stiffness

Dryness, pain and redness of the eyes

Rheumatoid nodules

Inflammation of the small blood vessels

Anemia etc.

What is the impact of Rheumatoid arthritis on your skin?

Apart from the joints, this disease also affects the skin by causing rheumatoid nodules and rashes to occur. Rheumatoid nodules are lumps of tissue that form under your skin. These nodules most commonly occur in body areas which are usually exposed to pressure – e.g. fingers and elbows. Usually, these nodules do not cause any pain, but they can cause certain discomfort. Your doctor may decide not to treat these lumps if it is not necessary. The treatment for rheumatoid nodules includes Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) which has proven successful for treating other symptoms caused by this disease.

How to maintain a healthy skin?

Sure the biggest problem caused by different types of arthritis is its impact on the joints, but since Rheumatoid arthritis causes rheumatoid nodules this is another problem that requires your attention, especially if these nodules are causing difficulties. The DMARDs will surely help by decreasing the symptoms, but you might want to do something to improve your skin condition as well.

The most important thing to do to maintain your skin in a healthy condition is to make sure you take the proper medications following the schedule that your doctor prescribed. Another thing that you need to remember is always to protect your skin when exposed to the sun. Make sure you wear light but covering clothing, hat, sunglasses and your skin is covered with sunscreen before you expose yourself to the sun. Changing your diet and including exercise in your everyday routine can also improve your skin condition and improve the quality of life overall.

And last but not least, anti-wrinkle creams! Anti-wrinkle creams already have been confirmed to cause improvements in the skin, by decreasing the visible wrinkles, improving the metabolism of the skin and resulting in healthy looking skin. So why not use their effects on your skin as well? The anti-wrinkle creams will help your skin to improve its general condition, and of course, there is no harm in seeing fewer wrinkles in the mirror.

Conclusion

If you have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor has probably already explained that you should expect other problems than joint pain and stiffness, especially in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which progresses causing many inflammatory problems for your body. It affects not only your joints but your lungs, blood vessels, skin, etc. But we are here mainly because of the skin problems that most patients have been dealing with. Rheumatoid arthritis causes specific rheumatoid nodules to occur under the skin.

These nodules usually occur in areas which are exposed to the pressure, but the good news is that they do not always require treatment. Your doctor can control them by prescribing proper medication, but you have to take a better care of your skin from now on. Your skin will need to be protected from the sun, and your diet and exercise routine will need to be changed for the better. Also do not be afraid to try some of the best wrinkle creams on the market that could improve your skin condition!

Sophie Addison

Sophie Addison is a popular blogger and writer on beauty and general health-related tips and articles. She is very passionate about health news and beauty. She has posted articles on skin care, tips for using eyelashes, weight loss, and celebrity beauty news. Apart from work she likes gardening and listening music.

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